A few minor questions before moving discus into breeding tank

[JPA]

As I've posted here before, I am moving what I think is a mated pair from my established 40 gallon tank into a new 30 gallon breeding tank I setup a couple of weeks ago. I am confident that it is fully cycled. Before I actually move the pair in, I had a few small questions I was hoping someone could help me with:

1. What is the least stressful way to physically transfer the fish? Just grab them with a net and drop them into the new tank?

2. What is the best way to ease the stress on the discus once they are placed in the new tank?

3. The tank is bare bottom, but I've put in a piece of driftwood and a terra cotta pot filled with gravel, a flourish tab, and an Aponogeton Ulvaceus plant. Any issues with this?

4. The new 30 gallon is about a foot away from the old 40 gallon. Someone suggested covering up the side of the tank so the discus can't see into the old tank so they won't be worried about other fish eating their eggs. Is this really necessary?

5. Similarly, someone suggested covering up about 25% of the front of the tank in order to give the discus "privacy" and so they will feel safer to breed. Will this actually do anything?

6. Someone suggested that peat moss may help induce spawning. I'm a little hesitant to mess with the Ph of the tank. But if I were going to add this, should I add it before I put in the discus or after?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Discus Origins]

1. How do you know it's a mated pair? I would let them defend a site to strengthen their bond and actually lay eggs/see wigglers before moving them and declaring them a mated pair.

2. Have your breeding tank closely match the environment of your 40 so they settle down faster. Letting them see other fish actually helps a pair stay together.

3. I like to at least cover 2-3 sides of the tank it does calm them down

4. Once you decide to move them net and dump is fastest and least stressful, your tanks are very close together anyways. My trick is I let the lights turn off at nite and go in after an hr or so. Much easier to catch when half asleep and they wake up in a new place!

Good luck on the fish! Mark

[JPA]

1. How do you know it's a mated pair? I would let them defend a site to strengthen their bond and actually lay eggs/see wigglers before moving them and declaring them a mated pair.

A few weeks ago one of them started laying eggs on the glass of the 40 gallon. All the eggs were quickly eaten, but afterwards the other one came up and rubbed up against the spot where the eggs were (which I interpreted as an attempt to fertilize).

Thanks for the advice!

[Second Hand Pat]

So they are an unconfirmed pair.

[JPA]

So they are an unconfirmed pair.

I think I get the general gist of the term, but what makes a pair "unconfirmed?" Is it because they have laid eggs but the eggs have not hatched?

Edit: I should also say that I am rarely home during the day, so as far as I know they have been laying eggs for some time now. However, I have only seen it happen once. I captured some pictures which I can post later today.

[Skip]

once eggs hatch.. they are then a confirmed pair.. the way i understand it..

[Discus Origins]

agreed

[JPA]

If anyone is curious, here is a picture of my discus mid-spawn. The blue is laying eggs on the glass. The orange stayed right there the entire time, and then later rubbed up against the same spot.

The other picture is of my tanks. The breeder is to the right.

Any comments appreciated.

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/201/spawning.jpg

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4851/tanksk.jpg